Article gripping device for drawing containers separately



Feb. 13, 1968 M. SlMONlCH 3,368,716

ARTICLE GRIPPING DEVICE FOR DRAWING CONTAINERS SEPARATELY Filed Aug. 50, 1966 INVENTOR MARIO SlMo/V/Mf W 42 f/ilh ATT RNEYs United States Patent 3,368,716 ARTICLE GRIPPING DEVICE FOR DRAWING CONTAINERS SEPARATELY Mario Simonich, Via Legionari di Polonia 25, Bergamo, Italy Filed Aug. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 581,130 1 Claim. (Cl. 221210) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A device for drawing containers, particularly ice-cream containers, from a container stack in at least one vertical reservoir from the lower end of which a portion of the lowermost container in the stack projects. The device has a pneumatic reciprocating motor member, which is provided, in alignment with the vertical channel containing the containers to be separateily drawn, with a prehensile member which is applied by pneumatic action against the projecting portion of the lowermost container to cause the drawing thereof during the stroke in one direction of the motor member. This prehensile member includes an annular chamber defined by a wall which is resiliently deformable under the action of the pneumatic pressure.

The present invention relates to a device for an automatic and unitary drawing of containers from a reservoir in which such containers are arrayed. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a device for an automatic and individual drawing of containers, such as cones, paperboard glasses and the like, designed for containing creamy ice. The device of the invention is particularly designed for creamy ice producing and dispensing or vending machines, wherein it provides for individually drawing a cone, wafer or glass from a reservoir to otter it to a user so that it may be filled with ice-cream.

It is known that ice-cream cones, glasses and like containers are disposed in stacks within reservoirs. Generally, such reservoirs, which may be of a rotary or fixed type, have a series of vertical conduits or channels in each of which a stack of cones, glasses or the like is contained. The last container of the stack partially emerges from an aperture communicating with the relative vertical channel, and is removably held by resilient means being applied against its contour. A user, desiring to draw a container, will grasp the projecting portion of the last container in the stack and release it from the resilient means, making it available for an ice-cream introduction. The last but one container in the stack will then drop under the stack weight emerging from the relative vertical channel and being held thereto by the resilient means applying against its contour, said container ready for being drawn by a user.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device allowing the automatic and individual drawing of one of such ice-cream containers, said device being mainly applied to automatic coin machines where, for hygienic reasons and in order to avoid tamperings, the containers arranged within the channels must not be directly accessible to the public.

According to the invention there is provided a motor member, preferably a pneumatic motor, susceptible of a reciprocating motion, which at the end thereof and in aligned relationship wi.h the container distributing channel carries a prehensile pneumatic member which applies against the projection portion of the last container drawing the same from the relative channel and releasing it when said motor member has defined the separation of the container from the relative stack.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, given by mere way of ex- 3,368,716 Patented Feb. 13 1968 ample and thus of not limitation, of a preferred embodiment thereof, shown in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation, with parts broken away, of the device according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a section of the pneumatic member for drawing the cone container forming part of the inventive device.

Referring to the figures, at 1 there is indicated as a whole a conventional ice-cream container reservoir comprising a channel 2 in which, per se already known, icecream cones of edible material are disposed in .stacked relatonship, said cones having a substantially hemispherical portion 3 jointing wiih a conical extension 4. The conical extension for one of the cones is inserted in the cone below. The last cone of the stack partially emerges with its conical portion through a coaxial aperture in a plate 5 mounted in any known manner within the structure of the machine, indicated as a whole at 6, in which the device of the invention is contained. Machine 6 may be represented by an automatic or manual creamy ice distributor or dispenser. Such a machine is known and will not be further described as having no significant connection with the invention.

A substantially annular spring 7 is disposed around the aperture of plate 5 in order to prevent stack of cones from emerging therefrom, said spring serving to avoid a drop of the cones, yet without dangerously resisting the extraction of the last cone from the aperture when, as hereinafter described, the projecting end 4 thereof is grasped. In other simpler terms, spring 7 retains the stack of cones without dangerously resisting the extraction of an individual cone. Such a solution is widely known, whereby it will not be described in details.

In alignment with the aperture of plate 5, provision is made for a pneumatic motor member formed of a doubleacting cylinder 8 in which a piston 9 is movable. Cylinder 8 is secured in any known way, such as by a threaded locking ring 10, to a bracket 11 secured in any known way to a wall of machine 6.

Piston 9 is connected to two rods 13, 14 emerging from the opposite ends of said cylinder. Lower rod 14 terminates with a disc 15, while upper rod 13 is threaded at 16 and screw-connected with a base 17. Base 17 has a rim or collar 18 against which the lower flanged end of a ring nut 19 resists. Ring nut 19 is screwed to sleeve 20, a second ring nut 21 being screwed thereto. Sleeve 20 and ring nut 21 jointly define an annular hook-shaped space 22, in which the upper bent end of a rubber sheath 23 is embedded. The lower end of sheath 23 is embedded within a similarly shaped seating 24 between sleeve 20, ring nut 19 and base 17. Sheath 23 is made of rubber or other resiliently deformable material. Between the sheath 23 and sleeve 20 there is a tightly sealed annular chamber 26 communicating with a hose 28 through a pipe fitting 27 screwed down into a threaded hole in sleeve 20. The hose passes through an aperture 30 of wall 12 of machine 6 and terminates on a mechanical three-way valve 30a, which is controlled by a lever 31 provided with an end roller 32. One of said ways for valve 30a is connected with atmosphere through conduit 33, while a second way is connected through pipe 34 to a compressed air .source (not shown) through a pressure reducer 35, a filter 36, and a lubricating means 37 per se known.

Longitudinal dimensions of lever 31, projecting through an aperture 38 in wall 12, are such that its roller 32 will interfere with the path of disc 15. Internally, valve 3fia has per se known resilient means tending to hold lever 31 at the position shown by full line in FIG. 1. At such position, hose 28 is in connection with atmosphere through conduit 33. When ring 11 knocks against roller 32, lever 31 of valve 30a will reach the position shown by dashed 3 line. At such position, hose 28 communicates with the compressed air source through conduit 34. Consequently, pressure will reach chamber 26 and resilient sheath 23 will apply against conical portion 4 of the cone and retain it, as from the dashed line of FIG. 2.

Piston 9 divides cylinder 8 into two chambers A and B. Chamber B is connected to a conduit 40, which is connected to an electro-valve 41 of the three-way type. One of said ways of the eleetro-valve, namely the way indicated at 42, opens into the atmosphere, while the other Way, indicated at 43, communicates through a conduit 44 with the compressed air source through the devices 36, 35 and 37.

The lower chamber A of cylinder 8 is connected through conduit 45 to a three-way electro-valve 46. One of said ways of such valve, namely the way indicated at 47, opens into the atmosphere, while the second way 48 is connected to conduit 44 and therefrom to the compressed air source. When electro-valves 41, 46 are deenergized, the relative chambers of cylinder 8 are connected with the atmosphere, while when said valves are energized said chambers are in communication with the compressed air source.

Operating winding 49 of electro-valve 4-1 is connected to the mains system through a contactor 50, which is controlled by a cam 51 keyed on an axis or shaft 52. Shaft 52 is operated by a reduction gear unit 53, which is follow-up linked to a usual device 54 controlled by the insertion of a coin 55. Such counter or coin control devices are known, whereby a detailed description thereof is unnecessary. It will only suitice to recall that the insertion of coin 55 causes the excitation of a relay connecting reduction gear unit to mains system. Such a relay is kept energized by an automatic holding contact which is opened by a cam controlled by the reduction gear unit 53 after a complete revolution of the same.

The operating winding 60 of valve 46 is connected to mains system through a contact 61, the opening and closing of which are controlled by a cam 62 also mounted on shaft 52. Shape for cams, even though not shown, is such that while one of the contacts 50, 61 is open, the other is closed.

Operation of the device according to the invention is as follows:

By introducing coin or counter 55, reduction gear unit 53 is caused to start. In turn, this starting causes contact 61 to be closed and valve 46 to be excited. Thus valve 46 will connect the lower chamber A of cylinder 8 with the compressed air source. As a result, the piston will move upwardly. Owing to this movement, lever 31 is caused to rotate, which lever after reaching the position as shown by dashed lines will connect annular chamber 26 with the compressed air source. When this occurs, the conical portion 4 of the lowermost ice-cream cone has p n m internally of sheath 23 (FIG. 2). In other terms, the device at the end of rod 13 has reached the position as shown by the dashed line. The compressed air will apply sheath 23 against the cone. Contact 61 is caused to open by cam 62, whereby valve 46 will de-energize and connect chamber A in cylinder 8 with the atmosphere. At the same time, contact 50 will close determining the excitation for electro-valve 41, whereby the compressed air is supplied to chamber B of cylinder 8. As a result, piston 9 will lower and release the lowermost ice-cream cone, retained by sheath 23, from the stack in channel 2. During such downward movement, lever 31 of valve 30a reaches the position as shown by full line and will connect annular chamber 26 with the atmosphere, whereby sheath 23 will detach from the cone, which may be manually pulled out by a user through a small slot (not shown) and utilized for being filled with ice-cream.

In the meanwhile the cam, not shown but previously described, causes the opening of the operating circuit for the reduction gear unit 53, whereby the latter stops. Thus the device is ready to begin again a new cycle.

It is suitable to note that the invention is not restricted to the particular means (earns 51 and 62, reduction gear 53 and device 54) shown and described for controlling the closing and opening of contacts 50 and 61. For this purpose, electronic, electromechanical and similar expedients capable of providing the desired operation may be used. In fact, the invention resides in the drawing pneumatic device of the ice-cream cone and not in the additional equipment.

I claim:

1. A device for drawing containers, particularly icecream containers, from a container stack in at least one vertical reservoir, from the lower end of which a portion or" the lowermost container in the stack projects, characterized by comprising a pneumatic reciprocating motor member, which is provided, in alignment with the vertical channel containing the containers to be separately drawn, with a prehensile member being applied by pneumatic action against the projecting portion of the lowermost container to cause the drawing thereof during the stroke in one direction of said motor member, said prehensile member comprising an annular chamber defined by a wall which is resiliently deformable under the action of the pneumatic pressure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,654 8/1951 Mackin et al 22l2ll 2,640,606 6/1953 Cox a 22l-221 X 3,077,287 2/1963 White 221-210 3,104,780 9/1963 Carter et al. 22l25l X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

